ARLINGTON, Texas — Ryan Sepede came off the bench with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth inning and deposited a fastball into the left field seats to pace BYU to an 8-6 win over No. 6 ranked Oklahoma State at Globe Life Field on Thursday.
“I told Ryan before the game to be ready to hit,” said BYU head coach Mike Littlewood. “I really felt like he would have the opportunity to come in and have a big at bat for us tonight, but there’s nothing better than a pinch-hit grand slam. That's a storybook ending. I was proud of the way our team just kept battling.”
BYU (8-3) jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning with three runs on back-to-back home runs by Cole Gambill and Collin Reuter. Mitch McIntyre led off the game with a single to left center to set up the two-run homer to right center by Gambill. Reuter then homered to left center for a 3-0 lead.
OSU answered in the top of the third with a two-out walk and a two-run homer by Roc Riggio to right field. The Cowboys picked up three more runs on four hits in the fifth inning to jump out to a 5-3 lead.
Led by season RBI leader Sepede, BYU answered with five runs in the sixth to regain the lead, 8-5. Reuter was hit by a pitch to get things going, then Josh Cowden drew a walk and Hayden Leatham singled to score Reuter. Austin Deming walked on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases and set up Sepede’s grand slam heroics.
“I tried to keep things simple,” said Sepede of his at bat in the sixth. “Coming off the bench, bases loaded and two outs, I was just looking for a fast ball that I could hit up the middle. I really don’t have the words to describe it. I’m just thankful for the opportunity to play in this ballpark and help the team. It was a surreal experience.”
The Cowboys scratched out another run in the top of the eighth but that would be the closest OSU would get. BYU closer Reid McLaughlin came on to close out the eighth and ninth innings for the save.
“We have a lot of guys that can come in get outs,” said Littlewood. “Our pitching staff has been outstanding this year and they were again tonight.”
Sophomore righty Bryce Robison picked up his second win of the year, while McLaughlin record his fifth save in as many tries. The save also gives McLaughlin 16 for his career which makes him the all-time save leader at BYU, passing Mason Marshall (2012-17) and Ryan Hancock (1881-93), who both had 15.
The Cougars have won eight of their last nine games and are now 6-0 on the season when scoring six or more runs. The win over Oklahoma State is the highest ranked win in the Littlewood era since BYU defeated No. 2 ranked LSU in 2013.
BYU will face OSU again on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CST (5:30 p.m. MST) in the second game of the three-game series at Globe Life Field. The game will be broadcast via FaceBook Live as well as the BYU Sports Network—BYUCougars.com and the BYU Cougars app.
BYU-OSU photos by Jay Hinton